Rising number of Syrian asylum seekers

Applications for international protection in Luxembourg nearly doubled between April and May this year, with a high increase in asylum seekers from Montenegro and Syria.

12.06.2014

(CS) Applications for international protection in Luxembourg nearly doubled between April and May this year, with a high increase in asylum seekers from Montenegro and Syria.

While in April, only 49 asylum seekers arrived in Luxembourg, the lowest number per month in nearly four years, in May, 94 applications were received.

This was also above the 2013 statistics for May, when 79 people sought refugee status in Luxembourg. However, over the first five months of the year combined, 2013 and 2014 have so far both seen 395 applicants.

The highest number of asylum seekers last month came from Montenegro – 20 applications, up from four in April. The number of Syrian asylum seekers also increased dramatically, from three in April to 17 in May.

In total this year, 31 Syrians have sought refuge in Luxembourg. A group of 28 Syrians who were transferred to Luxembourg from a refugee camp in Jordan are not included in this statistic, as they were awarded refugee status immediately.

Only nine asylum seekers were granted international protection last month, while 56 were returned to their home countries, of which 18 were forced returns.